Improvement in sweeping-machines



-the escape UNITEDv STATES GEORGE S. NORRIS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN SWEEPlNG-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 112,837, dated March 21, 1871. l

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. NoERIs, of the city and countyr of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Sweeping-Machines 5 and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing making part of this specication, in which- Figure l represents a perspective view of the improved sweeper. Fig. 2 is a transverse section.

The same .letters are employed in both gures in the designation of identical parts.

. Thisinvention relates to a machinefor sweeping carpeted and other apartments, so constructed that the light dust which, by the usual mode of sweeping with a broom or brush, rises into the air and eventually settles again on the floor or on the furniture, may be taken up and deposited in a suitable dust-receptacle attached to the sweeper together with the heavier particles of the sweepin gs. The first part of the improvement consists in mounting the case containing the rotary brushes and the fan upon long rollers preserving an unbroken contact with the floor the entire length of the case, and closing the ends of the latter by sheets of rubber or other elastic material, which may hug the carpet closely, to prevent of dust from under them without subjecting the' carpet to anyundue wear. The second part of the invention consists in the employment of two hinged iiaps or drop-pans arranged in the case, one in front and the other in rear of the fan and revolving brushes in such a manner as to rest with their lowerV edges upon the floor a short distance from the respective rollers, so that should either one of the rollers be raised above the oor for a moment in passing over any small article the case will be kept closed by these hinged droppans and the action of the apparatus not interrupted.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe it more specifically.

In the annexed drawing, A represents the case in which the brushes and fan are inclosed, rectangular in form with a semi-cylindrical top. Its ends are closed by sheets A1, of India rubber by preference, and it is mounted upon two rollers, A2 A2, which may have rubbersurfaces, one of which is arranged upon each side of the case in suitable bearings, extending from end to end thereof. The sides of the case do not come in contact with the floor, but the edges of the rubber ends A1 extend down far enough to hug the iloor closely when the case rests upon its rollers. The rotary brushes B. and fan-floats O are secured to a horizontal shaft, D, which has its bearings, in a bridge-tree, A2, placed across the case, one at each end. Suitable openings O are cut in the sheets of rubber Al around the shaft D for the admission The shaftof air to the interior of the case. is so arranged in the case that its brushes will reach just below the rollers upon which it is mounted, the fan-floats being of less diameter so that they will not come in contact with the iioor in operating the machine. The brushes can be set out from the shaft to compensate for wear. Both journals of the fan-shaft project through their boxes to pass through the eyes of a yoke, E, which embraces the case longitudinally, and moves around the same upon the shaft as its axis. A long handle, E', is fastened to the yoke by which the sweeper is guided in operating it, and near the upper end a grooved pulley, F, with a crank, f, is hung upon a stud projecting from the handie. The fan and brushes are operated from this pulley or sheave through the medium of a belt or cord, F1, and a smaller pulley, F2, which is fastened upon the o verhung end of the journal of the shaft D. i

The sweepings and dust are taken up from the floor by the combinedaction of the revolving brushes and the blast of air consequent upon the rapid rotation of the fan-oats. They are discharged through an opening in the rear side of the case into a dust-receptacle, Gr, made by preference of some fibrous material in the shape of a bag. The mouth of the latter is attached to the case around the dischargeopening by an elastic gathering-string, g, or in any other convenient manner, while its other end is fastened to a cross-arm of the handle, as shown.

H and I are llaps or droppers hinged along their upper edges to the sides of the case A, one in front and the other in rear of the revolving brushes and fan. Their lower edges rest upon the floor some distance from the re speotive rollers upon which the oase rests, and

`they aid in keeping the lower side of the oase closed in case the rollers are momentarily lifted from the iloor n passing over any small article. They extend from end to end of the case, and may be slightly curved to allow of the rotation of the fan and brushes under which they extend.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The case A, when mounted upon long rollers A2, which form an unbroken support the entire length of the oase and closed at the 

